of descendants is never to die two fleets - 1788 & 1988

Magazine of the Fellowship of First Fleeters ACN 003 223 425

PATRON: Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO

Volume 47, Issue 5 48th Year of Publication October/ November 2016 To live on in the hearts and minds

of descendants is never to die

1788 AD

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TWO FLEETS - 1788 & 1988 - SOME UNTOLD HISTORY

Membership’s Lois retires.

Page 6

Sydney-Portsmouth Sister City Committee 13th May 2016 An address to celebrate the 229th

Anniversary of the sailing of the First Fleet from Ports-mouth on 13th May 1787

The First Fleet (1788) and The Re-enactment Fleet (1988) Some Untold History

Dr Wally Franklin To begin, I would like to acknowledge

and pay respect to the traditional own-ers of the land on which we meet; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. It is upon their ancestral lands that the Syd-ney Town Hall is built.

Preamble: a Sense of History.

When the Re-enactment Fleet arrived off Sydney Heads on the morning of 26th January 1988 it was met by 2.3 mil-lion people watching from the shores of Sydney Harbour and greeted by over 10,000 boats on the water. Australia Day in Sydney 1988 was, and still re-mains, the largest Public gathering to have occurred in Australia. Moreover the day was marked by two significant events. Firstly, the very large gathering of Indigenous elders and representa-tives of Aboriginal Communities from all around Australia, who marched through the streets of Sydney to celebrate their survival, culture and heritage. Secondly the fact that, in spite of the incredible numbers of people gathered in Sydney for the Australia Day celebrations, it turned out to be a remarkably peaceful day.

Shortly after Australia Day 1988 the Re-enactment Company received a moving letter from the Surgeon General of St Vincent’s Hospital. In that letter he informed us that the Sydney hospital emergency services were geared -up and ready to handle unprecedented levels of emergency admissions, when in fact it turned out that Austra-lia Day 1988 was one of the quietest days ever experienced by emergency services in Sydney. He thanked the First Fleet Re-enactment Company, as he attributed the outcome on Austra-

lia Day to the focus of harmony brought to the celebrations by the arrival of the Re-enactment Fleet in Sydney harbour.

In time, Australia Day 1988 will be seen to be a turning point in Australia’s history and its future. I’ll have more to say about that shortly. As you all know the idea of re-enacting the First Fleet as a Bi-centennial event, was conceived by Dr Jonathon King in 1976, while he was in the England studying the life and role of his ancestor, Philip Gidley King, in the First Fleet.

Immediately upon his return to Austra-lia Jonathon started work on the Re-enactment of the First Fleet as a major Bi-centennial event. It wasn’t till Septem-ber 1979 that I first met Jonathon. At the time I was National Marketing Manager for Trans-Australia Airlines and he was seeking support to travel around Austra-lia to organise and drum up support for the Re-enactment project. I was able to provide support and did what I could to encourage broader corporate support for the First Fleet Re-enactment as a major Bi-centennial event. However from the outset it was clear that there was strong and intense opposition to the project from the Federal Government and the recently formed Australian Bi-centennial Authority, the ABA. Over the next five years I witnessed the remarkable lengths taken by the Federal Government and the ABA to destroy the re-enactment project.

The core of opposition to the Project was summed up in a report commis-sioned by the Federal Government: The Re-enactment Fleet would aggravate the Aboriginal issue by reminding us of the shame associated with the near genocide of Aboriginal communities across Austra-lia; it would emphasise the convict begin-nings of modern Australia and it would

bring into focus Australia’s Paternal relationship with Britain. The ABA was committed to a ‘historically neutral’ Bi-centennial event, the gathering of ‘Tall Ships’ in Sydney harbour on Aus-tralia Day. In essence the Federal Government and the ABA wanted a 200-year celebration that denied the reality of Aus-tralian history. (continued on page 4)

Dr Wally Franklin

Founders October/November 2016

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FOUNDERS

The magazine of the Fellowship of First Fleeters Editor , Layout and Artwork

Jon & Karys Fearon Ph. 02 4311 6254

E-mail: [email protected]

DIRECTORS 2015-2016 President/Chapter Development Jon FEARON, BA. Dip Ed. Stud (TESOL), T. CERT.

Vice-President/Events/Maintenance Denis SMITH OAM Treasurer Kevin THOMAS, FCA,FCPA,FCIS

Office Manager/Secretary/Facebook Therese LUCK

Research/Web Site Co-ordinator John BOYD JP.

Chapter Liaison Karys FEARON, BN., RN., RM.

Archives Robert LAMB. Mech Eng. Cert. & Machinist Cert.

Archivist/Events Sharon LAMB. Assoc. Dip Land & eng Survey Drafting

Minute Secretary Karen LOVETT, BA. Dip Ed

Family Trees/Database/Computer Management Tony HOLDEN

Plaques/Maintenance Ray KEATING

CONTENTS 1. Two Fleets, some untold history

2. Directors; President’s Pen; Spring Pilgrimages

3. Edward Garth and Susannah Gough; Chapter Secretaries

4-5. Two Fleets, continued; New plaque at St James Church

6. Lois retires; New England disbands

7. Garvon Kable Obituary; AGM Re-minder; Biographical Database

8. Bungaroo commemorative walk

9. Book Review; Lyndhurst memorial

10. Office bearers; Two gatherings

11. Chapters in Action

12. New Members; Deaths; At the Helm; Newtown plaque dedication; Do-nations; Message Board

PRESIDENT’S PEN Jon Fearon

. Once again it has been a pleasure for me to prepare your next Founders and bring you updates from the Board and Chapters. I trust you will enjoy the good reading in this issue and I pass on my thanks to all our contributors.

Your Booking Form for the forthcoming Australia Day Lunch-eon comes with this issue. We look forward to seeing many of you on 21 January 2017. The guest speaker, Hon Justice Michael Pembroke is not to be missed.

We had hoped by now to let you know the plans for reinstalling the Bonds of Friend-ship at Circular Quay. Alas, as yet there is no news. We do know, however, that the proposed dedication of a plaque for First Fleeter Lt Henry Lidgbird Ball at St Peters, Petersham in Surrey is gradually moving through the red tape towards fulfilment. We hope to give you enough notice if you will be visiting Britain when it happens.

The recent chapter visits to First Fleet House, see below, remind me to let you know that members who have joined between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2016 and who live within a 100 km radius from Sydney will soon receive their invitation to the annual Wel-come to New Members Morning Tea to be held on Saturday 24 October. Jon

SPRING: ‘WHAN LONGEN FOLK TO GOON ON PILGRIMAGES’

Here on the other side of the world the season is still the time to make pilgrimage, the destination now is the holy shrine, First Fleet House on John Palmer’s land at Wool-loomooloo.

The happy bands of pilgrims on two separate occasions who recently celebrated Spring and did wend their way southward were the good folk from Arthur Phillip Chap-ter and Hunter Valley Chapter.

Tales were told as the visitors were welcomed to the house over a scrumptious morn-ing tea and a tour

of the building followed, led by presidents past and present, Ian and Jon, respec-tively.

There were plenty of ques-tions asked and answered, while some of the visi-tors were happy to spend time browsing in the Borrowdale li-brary.

Back in the year 1390, English poet Geoffrey Chau-cer celebrated Spring ‘whan that Aprille with his shoures soote the droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote.’

It was also the time when ‘smale fowles maken melo-dye’ and ‘longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, and palmers for to seken straunge strondes ...and specially, from every shires ende of Engelond, to Caun-terbury they wende’.

Hunter Valley Chapter

Arthur Phillip Chapter

October/November 2016 Founders

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ALBURY-WODONGA DIST. Mary Chalmers-Borella 02 6025 3283

ARTHUR PHILLIP Jane Ann Tainsh 02 9488 5453 CANBERRA Brian Mattick 02 6231 8880

CENTRAL COAST Jon Fearon 02 4311 6254

DERWENT Marilla Lowe 03 6243 7726

EASTERN FARMS Jennifer Follers 02 9799 1161 HAWKESBURY-NEPEAN William Hempel 02 4730 3527 HUNTER VALLEY Kerry Neinert 02 4961 5083 LACHLAN MACQUARIE

Judy Dwyer 02 6365 8234 MID NORTH COAST Heather Bath 0458 572 644 MORETON Gloria Wallace 07 3371 2551

NORTH COAST Christine Ingram 0431 406 312 NORTHERN RIVERS Margaret Soward 02 6686 3597

NORTH WEST Diana Harband 02 6765 2122

SOUTH COAST Kevin McGregor 02 4271 3762

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS Wendy Selman 02 4862 4849

SWAN RIVER Toni Mahony 08 9271 7630

CHAPTER SECRETARIES

EDWARD GARTH & SUSANNAH GOUGH - NORFOLK ISLAND PIONEERS

Edward Garth was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 29 October 1784, two live cows, being the property of Thomas Rhodes the younger. He was sentenced to death but reprieved on 3 March 1785 to transportation to Africa for seven years. His reprieve was based on witness accounts who described him as a hard working lad in the 14 years he had known him while an-other offered to employ him if he was acquitted.

Following time spent in the prison hulk Ceres, he was sent to Portsmouth for embarkation on Scarborough. Immediately on arrival at Port Jackson, Edward was selected to go with the first group to settle Norfolk Island. On 12 February 1788 Phillip Gidley King was appointed Superintendent and Commandant of the settlement at Norfolk Island. King landed at Norfolk Island with soldiers, convicts which included six female and eight male convicts and supplies on 5 March 1788. Here Edward married Susannah Gough a convict. The settlement of Norfolk Island had three distinct periods. The first two were penal settlements, 1788-1814 and 1825-1853. Edward was on the island from March 1788 until 1807 and during different times in the first period more people were sent to the island to relieve the strain on the mainland colony where food was scarce.

During the time on Norfolk Island people were classified into 1st,2nd and 3rd class inhabitants. Edward was assigned second class settler and as such was entitled to be victualled and clothed for two years at public expense and was allowed two convicts for 1 year and two convicts for 15 months longer. Ed-ward was variously described as conducting himself well and had a large family of a wife and seven children with 30 acres of cleared land. His house on the island was described as shingled, boarded and floored and had 3 outhouses of logs all valued at 65 pounds. Thus, through his diligence in the colony he came to own substantial holdings. He also became a nightwatchman and a member of the Norfolk Island Settler Society.

In 1807 Edward and his family were sent on the second embar-kation on the 26 December 1807 to Van Diemen’s Land on HMS Porpoise. On this journey he was allowed to take 15 male sheep and 7 grown sheep to restart his new life in VDL. Porpoise ar-rived in VDL on 17 January 1808, 20 years after the first fleet had arrived in Sydney Cove.

On arrival in Hobart Town Edward was granted 93 acres at Sandy Bay which he farmed with his growing family. Here there was at one time a headland known as Garths Point. The family remained on the land for 115 years from 1808 -1923 and are remembered by the naming of Garth Ave in the area. In 1813 he received a further grant of 33 acres and during his remaining years had extensive holdings at Clarence Plains & Browns River.

Edward died on 13 December, 1823 at his farm at Sandy Bay/Brown’s River now called Kingston, aged 55 and is buried at St Davids Hobart. Tasmania.

At the time of his death Edward and his four surviving sons had 500 acres of land, 270 head of cattle and 3,650 sheep. The

family also had grazing licenses.

Susannah Garth/Grates/Gough was born in 1763 and was one of the female convicts being, indicted, on the 9th August 1783, for feloniously stealing, nine one-guinea coins and one half-guinea coin, the monies of William Waterhouse and charged as having been stolen, privily from his person. Some money was found on Susannah and her accomplice, Elizabeth Dudgeon. Reports in Mollie Gillen’s Founders state ‘interestingly Susannah swallowed eight guineas which promptly made her sick and she later brought them up’. She was found guilty of stealing and sentenced to seven year’s transportation.

Some reports suggest that while waiting aboard the hulk Mer-cury she was one of 66 prisoners who scrambled down the side of the hulk as part of the mutinous escape but was recaptured and sent to Exeter Gaol. Later she was sent to the Dunkirk hulk and from there to Friendship on the 11 March 1787. However, family history research conducted suggests, that she has at times been confused with her later accomplice, Elizabeth Dudg-eon because as she was tried in 1783, the ‘mutineers’ were from the time of 1782 trials. Thus this is most likely not the Susannah Garth mutineer but her accomplice, Elizabeth Dudgeon using her name as an alias. Susannah Garth (of this story) did embark the Friendship on the 11 March 1787 bound for Botany Bay.

Later reports on arrival in the colony of New South Wales indi-cate Susannah’s subsequent behaviour as much improved. Im-mediately following the First Fleet arrival in 1788, at Sydney Cove, she was selected/ volunteered as one of the group of women convicts to go to Norfolk Island with Philip Gidley King. Her volunteering is believed to have been in place of Nancy Yeats/Yates, partner of Judge advocate Collins, who wished to remain behind with Collins.

At Norfolk Island in 1795, Susannah married Edward Garth and over the following years seven children were born to them, with one dying at Norfolk Island. The children were five sons (four surviving infancy) and two daughters. With her husband and six children, she left Norfolk Island on 27 December 1807, for Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), by Porpoise and lived on lands at Clarence Plains and Queensborough, Tasmania.

At a later time in her life Susannah had the distinction as re-corded in other family history reports in From Chains to Free-dom by Thais Mason, of being the first woman to set foot on Norfolk Island (p17). This statement was made under oath when she was a witness at a hearing in Hobart in 1836.

Following Edward’s death in 1723 Susannah was left a widow but his property was bequeathed to her and 2 sons and a daugh-ter. She remained on the family property for the rest of her life. Susannah died on 24 June 1841 at Hobart, age given as 78. Sources: Mollie Gillen : The Founders of Australia;

Thais Mason ‘From Chains to Freedom : A history of the Garth Bellett Family 1788-1982” #8430 Logan Cherry


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(from page 1) In 1984 my career in the Australian Airline in-dustry came to an end and Jonathon’s partner Jane King, through my partner Dr Trish Franklin, asked if Trish and I would be available to become involved in helping Jonathon with the Re-enactment Project. You might be tempted to ask the question, that having been a witness to the powerful forces lining up to sink the First Fleet Re-enactment Project, why, in my right mind, would I get involved in a project that appeared to be doomed to failure!

The answer is very simple; it was because of my partner, Trish Franklin. In fact without her the Re-enactment of the First Feet may not have happened at all. Let me explain. I was born in Sydney and went to school in western Sydney. At that time I learned nothing about Australian History. I was given a blank map of the world and was shown how to colour in red those areas of the world, including Australia that were part of the Brit-ish Empire.

In my teens I moved to Coona-barabran, in western NSW, where I attended high school and again learned nothing about Australian history. Cer-tainly I had no knowledge of the First Fleet and its consequent impact upon Aboriginal Australia. In 1957 I moved back to Sydney, shortly after I met Trish and by 1961 we were married. Trish had emigrated from England to Austra-lia with her parents in 1953. By the mid-1970s we had moved to Melbourne and had three school age sons. And still I knew nothing of Australian history.

In 1976 Trish commenced an Art His-tory Degree at La Trobe University, she was studying early European/Aboriginal interactions in the Wimmera District of Victoria and she was able to focus me on the phenomenal impact of the arrival of the European population on Aboriginal communities across Aus-tralia. Her passion for Australian His-tory and the knowledge she provided me, for the first time in my life, instilled in me an understanding of, and a real sense of, the true history of my coun-try. It was this new found awareness that was at the forefront of my mind the day that Jonathon King visited me in my office at Trans-Australia Airlines in 1979, where he pitched to me his plan to re-enact a real part of Australia’s history. Hence my keen in-terest in his project.

By 1984, when we received the request from Jane King asking if we would help Jonathon complete the Project, I had already finished with my Air Transport career and Trish had completed her Arts/History Degree with honours and had also been ac-cepted into a Masters Honours Degree at Sydney University to study the people of the Bundjalung Nation of the northern rivers area. We had also decided that we wanted to commence work on raising awareness about Cetacea (Whales, Dolphins and Por-poises) as soon as possible; a cause that we had both become deeply interested in during the mid-1970s.

Both Trish and I knew full well the challenges involved if we took on an involvement in the First Fleet Re-enactment Project, and we had no doubt that the probability of a successful out-come was very low given the intense Federal Government and ABA opposition. Also it was clear that the commitment to the re-enactment would had the potential to offer a potent platform

for public involvement in and discussion of ‘Aboriginal Issues’ in Australia, leading up to, and after the 1988 Bi-centennial cele-brations.

We decided to make the commitment and the rest is history, as recounted in Jonathon’s two books ‘Battle for the Bi-centennial’ and ‘Tall Ships, Tall Stories’ and also in Dick Tanner’s speech to The Order of Australia Association in 2010. Hence it was because of Trish’s remarkable passion for Australian history that we became involved in the Re-enactment of the Voyage of the First Fleet.

Before I return to the role of the Re-enactment Fleet in ‘Aboriginal Issues’, there were two intriguing stories that caught our attention during the process of studying information from the British archives about the First Fleet.

The First Fleet -Two Untold Stories: 1 -James Mario Matra (1746 to 1806) The first story concerns James Mario Matra who was born in New York in late - 1746. He was the son of Corsican parents who had fled Italy to escape political persecution and had emi-grated from Italy to the new British colony. Matra’s parents wanted him to become a ‘Fine English Gentleman’ and decided a stint in the Royal Navy would help. At the age of 15, Matra entered the Navy in May 1761.

On the 25 July 1768 Matra joined James Cook’s Endeavour as a midship-man and sailed on the first great voy-age of Pacific exploration. Cook visited Botany Bay in 1770.

There is only one mention of Matra in Cook’s journals when in May 1770, while sailing along the coast of NSW, he was implicated in the drunken crop-ping of the ears of Cook’s Clerk and was suspended from duty.

However, during the long voyage Matra formed a lifelong friendship with Joseph Banks. On the return of the Endeavour to England in July 1771, Banks aided Matra in obtaining a minor

Government diplomatic post.

In 1776 the American Revolution occurred and half a million British loyalists were displaced and dispossessed of their assets, including Matra’s family. Around half of the Loyalists emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada while the rest returned to Eng-land, presenting an immediate political problem for the Govern-ment of the day.

Over the next few years Matra undertook strong and persis-tent lobbying for the establishment of a colony in Botany Bay as a refuge for the displaced Loyalists and in frustration turned to his old friend Joseph Banks for help in getting his idea heard by Government. Banks is reported to have informed Matra that Botany Bay “was likely only fit for the Natives Cook found there,” -an interesting observation considering the policy of ‘Terra Nullius’ later adopted by the British Government for the First Fleet. In response to Matra’s persistence Banks finally agreed to assist and suggested that Matra put his idea in writing.

On the 23rd August 1783 Matra penned ‘A Proposal For Estab-lishing a Settlement in New South Wales’, which was presented to the Portland and Pitt administrations in 1783 and 1784.


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Ironically the full text of Matra’s proposal is not available in Australia, but is available online in New Zealand! Here I will summa-rise some of the key points Matra made to the British Government. The long eastern coastline of Australia is so fertile that ‘valuable production’ may one day have an impact upon European markets; the avail-ability of the ‘hemp or flax’ plant in nearby New Zealand would provide Britain with essential navel supplies; high quality tim-ber for ship building is readily available in both Australia and New Zealand; low cost labour would be available for the new col-ony from nearby South Pacific islands; the new colony would provide a strategic base for lucrative trade with southeast Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea and the Spice Islands; the opportunity for vol-untary emigration may be of great service to Britain;

The colony in New South Wales may offer a strategic Britain against the incursions of other foreign powers in to the region, such as the Dutch and Spanish; it is important to note that in the body of his text he reiterated Cook’s report to the British Gov-ernment that “the land is peopled by a few blacks”. Finally, af-ter talks with Lord Sydney, Matra added to his proposal that New South Wales may be a proper region for criminals con-demned to transportation

Evan Nepean, under-secretary of State for the Home Office, in December 1784 wrote a memo titled ‘Memo of matters to be brought before Cabinet’. In that memo he indicated that when William Pitt's ministers considered; “The Erecting a Settlement upon the Coast of New South Wales, which is intended as an Asylum for some of the American Loyalists, and also as a place for the Transportation of Young Offenders who[se] crimes have

not been of the most heinous nature” , they were in fact considering Matra's plan.

Matra’s proposal to colonise New South Wales accorded well with the gov-ernment's interests in disposing of the convicts, in building strategic resources in the Pacific Ocean and in establishing a trading network linking Asia and the Americas to Europe.

One of the very few Europeans then alive who had actually visited New South Wales, Matra testified in May 1785 to the House of Commons committee en-quiring into the resumption of transpor-tation, only two years before the depar-ture of the First Fleet.

Matra offered himself for an adminis-trative/diplomatic role in the new col-ony, which was not forthcoming. In dis-

appointment in July 1786 Matra accepted the appointment of Consul at Tangier, Morocco ; where he watched from afar the formation of the new colony in NSW that he had proposed, and where he remained until his death in March 1806.

Whilst historians argue over the complexities of the motives surrounding the British Governments decision to establish a convict colony in New South Wales, they are all in agreement that Matra’s proposal played a significant role in the process.

His only recognition in the unfolding story of modern Australia is having a suburb on the foreshore of Botany Bay named after him ‘Matraville’. Only one Australian historian, Alan Frost has written about Matra. Hopefully young future historians will offer Matra his due place in the history of modern Australia.

(To be concluded in the next issue)

A service commemorating the lives of Captain James Cook FRS RN and Sir Joseph Banks Bt GCB PRS took place at Sydney’s old-est church, St James in Queens Square on Sunday afternoon 24 July 2016. Founders was delighted to accept the invitation as the

commemoration took place within the church’s annual festival of St James, and this meant Choral Even-song wonderfully led by their out-standing choir.

The Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales, the Honourable Tom Bathurst AC un-veiled a plaque in the memory of Cook and Banks, and Mr Paul Brun-ton OAM, Emeritus Curator of the State Library, gave an outstanding address. As usual Paul’s approach was erudite yet entertaining, factual and yet bubbling with an undercur-rent of fun. Surely a perfect way to deal with our history!

The plaque, donated by members of the New South Wales branch of the Cook Society, is the third in a series of four that mark the history of

the land on which the church is built. The previous two com-memorate Governors Phillip and Macquarie and the fourth will honour the Eora Nation. These commemorations an-ticipate the celebrations of St James’ 200th anniversary commencing in 2019.

Together Cook and Banks were instrumental in charting, exploring a n d describing the land then known as New Hol land and later to become Australia. Banks went on to become an advisor to the British government and proponent, encouraged by his friend Joseph Matra, for the settlement of New South Wales. While nor entering Port Jackson, nevertheless the find-ings of Cook’s first voyage led eventually to the settlement of Sydney. Their part is therefore recognised in the story of the land on which St James’ is built.

As already hinted, above, the music of the service was abso-lutely stunning, particularly the anthem Look Up My People by Joe Twist and which included words from A Song of Hope by Oodgeroo of the tribe Noonuccal, and Psalm 137.v4.

Several members of the Fellowship were in the congregation and gathered afterwards at the Reception in the courtyard.

ANOTHER HISTORIC PLAQUE UNVEILED AT ST JAMES ‘ CHURCH, SYDNEY

Sir Joseph Banks, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1773


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NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER - YOU HAVE SERVED US WELL.

If your membership number is higher that 6900 then there is every chance that your application process and eventual admission as a mem-ber would have been handled, at least in part, by Life Member #1355 Lois Cook, our long serving volunteer on the Membership Team.

Lois has recently announced her retirement from her voluntary work for Membership. Having reached the age of 80, she says it’s time for her to call it a day and get back into her much loved quilting, something she can do nearer home without the weekly travel to the office.

Her cousin and fellow team member, #1364 Elaine Bennett, has given us the following message of appreciation:

Lois has been a member of the Fellowship since November 1978, a proud descendant of Jane Langley, Philip Scriven and Henrietta Langley.

After retiring from secretarial work at Macquarie University in 2001 Lois offered her services as a Volunteer and has for the past fifteen years given her time generously as a valued member of the Membership team, attending the office in Woolloomooloo each Wednesday with few excep-tions.

Her talents have helped countless prospective members join the Fellow-ship and I’m sure those of you who have had dealings with her have found her pleasant and helpful manner invaluable. Lois has also readily put her hand up to help at Australia Day functions and other areas where help has been requested.

She will be missed by her co-workers who thank her for her enthusiasm and genuine dedication in assisting them in all they do. Although missed in the office I’m sure Lois will still be seen in attendance at functions of the Fellowship. EB

THANK YOU LOIS, YOUR RETIREMENT IS INDEED DESERVED

Elaine Bennett Lois Cook

Seasons come and seasons go. After fifteen years of enthusias-tic and, quite often, adventurous fellowship the members of New England Chapter at their recent Annual General Meeting voted to disband their chapter. Attempts to find ‘new blood’ to keep the group running had been unsuccessful and all but one felt the time had come to move on.

There are only fifteen currently on the New England member-ship list, most of whom are conscious of their increasing age and lessening ability to function as spiritedly as they once could. The Board of Directors has, sadly, acknowledged the closure of the chapter and encouraged all those members to stay in the Fel-lowship. Perhaps some may wish to link up with the North-West Chapter for continuing closer fellowship.

New England Chapter, along with its southern neighbour, North West, had begun in 2001 when #6598 Robyn Condliffe and #6587Mary Kell of North Coast Chapter had visited both Tamworth and Armidale to assist in the setting up of the two chapters.

The First President of New England Chapter was #6896 War-ren Luxford, a descendant of First Fleeter John Cross. The outgo-ing officers at the time of winding up the chapter include two who have surely earned their ten-year badges, President #7442 Robyn Crosslé and Treasurer #7723 Bob Lemcke.

The link across to the coast has remained through the life of the chapter and earlier issues of Founders have focused on some of the coach trips to Coffs Harbour to combine with their North Coast friends at Boambee Reserve for a barbecue and fellow-ship.

On other occasions there have been combined chapter picnic visits to places such as Uralla Museum. Sometimes the members held their meetings in Glen Innes. The Chapter’s annual visit to Saumarez, the historic New England pioneer estate, for the Christmas luncheon was always a highlight.

Fellowship President Jon Fearon, on behalf of the Board, has written to Chapter Secretary, #7504 Wal (Ralph) Whalley a let-ter of greeting, thankful-ness and best wishes to be circulated amongst the members.

Perhaps we may see some of them at our next Australia Day Luncheon.

From the Chapter Archives: Robyn Crossle, the late Joan Ful-loon, Pam Whalley, Anne Edwards and Wal Whalley, sitting on Tam-worth Railway waiting for the train home after celebrating a com-

bined 10th birthday lunch with North West Chapter in 2011.

The cake had been made by North West Chapter in

honour of the occasion.


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Our Vice Patron, #514 Paul Kable has let us know that his father, Captain Garvon Kable, RAN (Ret) who served his country in the army, the airforce and the navy, died on 8 August 2016 . His tribute follows:

Garvon Kable has died aged 93. He was born in Chatswood Sydney in 1923 and educated at Parramatta Intermediate then Fort Street Boys’ High. He joined the Australian Army at age 18 in October 1941 but after three months training transferred to the RAAF early 1942 as an Aircraftman and commenced flying

training at Narrandera NSW. In March 1943 he com-menced training under the Empire Flying Training Scheme in Ontario Canada, in Harvard then Anson air-craft, and finished his train-ing as a Sergeant Navigator.

After further training in Wales and England he joined 49 Squadron flying opera-tional missions over Ger-many in Lancasters based at Syerston in Nottinghamshire and Fulbeck in Lincolnshire. By this time he was a Flight Sergeant Navigator; missions included Wurzberg, Ham-

burg, Wesel, Nordhausen and Berchtesgaden. In 1945 he flew POW repatriation flights to Eng-land. He was promoted Warrant Officer in June 1945.

He had married an English girl Brenda from nearby town Newark in June 1945, so she followed him to Australia with their baby in the war bride ship Atlantis. Garvon left the RAAF in April 1946 to com-mence teacher training at Uni-versity of Sydney. After some teaching he joined the RAN as a Lieutenant (Observer) in August 1949.

After initial courses at HMAS Cerberus Garvon was back in England to commence training in preparation for the commis-sioning of HMAS Sydney in

1951 as part of 817 Squadron flying Fairey Firefly aircraft. He was embarked in SYDNEY during her deployment to the Korean War flying 134 hours of bombing, strafing and patrol missions.

After general seaman training ashore and at sea he was back in England in 1954 training in Sea Venoms for the Commission-ing of HMAS Melbourne as Senior Observer 808 Squadron which he later commanded.

After his flying career he held a variety of positions; Ops Offi-cer Melbourne and Albatross, staff courses in USA and UK, Assis-tant Director of Plans, Di-recting Staff School of Land/Air Warfare, Naval Member of Joint Planning Staff, Com-missioning Executive Officer HMAS Stalwart and Director of Naval Recruiting. He was the Naval Attaché in Dja-karta for two years 1970-72.

Garvon was promoted Commander in 1959 and Acting Captain in 1970 and made Honorary Captain on retirement in 1973. He was a proud great great great grandson of First Fleet con-victs Henry and Susannah Kable.

Garvon and Brenda re-tired to their home in Avalon Beach in 1973 and he spent the next 37 years leading environmental protection action around

Pittwater and his beloved Northern Beaches with amaz-ing success. His list of environ-mental wins is still talked about and appreciated today and form a lasting legacy. Brenda’s community work was recognised with the award of an OAM and she was the Guest of Honour at the new 808 Squadron Commissioning in 2013; the squadron con-ducted a flypast at her funeral in 2015. GPK

The President and Directors are looking forward to meeting many of you, our members, at this year’s An-

nual General Meeting. It is being hosted by Arthur Phillip Chapter at the historic Roseville Presbyterian Church Hall from

10:30 am on Saturday 29 October. Let’s have a strong representation from many other

chapters and by individuals. Our Arthur Phillip friends would love to have you join them there.

We need more hard-working volunteers to stand for office for the 2016-7 year. Nomination forms are

available from First Fleet House.

GARVON KABLE - TRIPLE SERVICEMAN

Sergeant Navigator Kable, Bomber Command

Commander Kable, RAN, Executive Officer, HMAS Stalwart

Presentation for Garvon and Brenda Kable after 37 years with Avalon Preservation Trust

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AT ROSEVILLE

The Membership Team advises members that the new BIO-GRAPHICAL DATABASE OF AUSTRALIA has now been installed on the network at First Fleet House.

Already it has been put to good use by the team when re-searching family trees and links to our First Fleeters. Members can make use of the database while visiting the House. Please arrange an appointment with the team.

Alternatively why not take out a personal subscription to BDA and work from home? It’s amazing, and growing all the time.


8

Retracing the first exploration of Ku-ring-gai with ARTHUR PHILLIP CHAPTER -

On the morning of 17th April 2016, members of the Arthur Phil-lip Chapter and the Ku-ring-gai Historical Society met with Giles Tabuteau of the Ku-ring-gai Preservation Trust and Friends of Pymble at the St Ives entrance to the Bungaroo Track, known as Founders Way Walking Track. The meeting was to commemo-rate the 228th anniversary, to the exact day, of the 1788 explora-tion led by Governor Arthur Phillip into the North Shore hinter-land in search of plentiful water and arable land on which to grow food for the infant colony.

Phillip and his officers landed at Manly Cove on 15th April 1788 and tramped through bushland to the place now known as Manly Dam. The following day they trekked overland through thick forest (Frenchs Forest), reaching the sandbanks of Middle Harbour (near Roseville Bridge). They traced the watercourse to Bungaroo, in the heart of Garigal National Park where a rocky bar separates the salt waters of Middle Harbour from the fresh water of Middle Harbour Creek. Bungaroo is the Aboriginal name for the Salt Water Turtle.

Governor Phillip described this section of the river as where "the flowing of the tide ceased"; John White (Surgeon General) wrote that this was in "most desert wild and solitary seclusion". On the night of 16th April 1788 the party pitched their tents be-neath the forest canopy and dined on their rations.

Early next morning Phillip's party broke camp and climbed out of the valley into "an immense wood" (Dalrymple Hay Nature Reserve, in modern-day St Ives, preserves some of the last of Sydney’s mighty Blue Gums). They continued along the ridge

(Mona Vale Road and Telegraph Road) to its highest point about 15 miles from the coast. Here Phillip had "a fine view of the Mountains inland, the Northernmost of which I named Car-marthen Hills, and the Southernmost Lansdown Hills. A Moun-tain between I called Richmond Hill and from the rising of these Mountains, I did not doubt but that a large River would be found" – thus his ensuing decision to explore westward along the Parramatta River to find the good land at Rose Hill.

On a cool overcast day Giles Tabuteau gave a talk to about 20 people gathered at the entrance to Founders Way Walking Track, highlighting the significance of Phillip’s incursion into Ku-ring-gai. A toddy of rum and a piece of crusty fresh bread was issued for Giles’s toast "to Captain Arthur Phillip, founder of the Colony and first Governor of New South Wales", followed by a toast "to Ku-ring-gai, its founders, its pioneers, and its people".

Giles then led the modern-day group on a walk to Bungaroo, down a steep well-defined track with some level areas where they paused to admire the magnificent views through abundant eucalyptus trees, then continuing down to the flat area at the creek crossing (very close to Phillip’s camp). Here they repeated the two toasts accompanied by another drop of rum and bread. The group of adventurers then tackled the steep ascent, some-what an endurance test requiring a few “breather” stops, to re-join those who had stayed behind to relax.

Everyone agreed that this was a most enjoyable day, especially the opportunity to commune in our Australian bush while hon-ouring the endeavours of our “Founding Father”.

Gillian Doyle

BUNGAROO COMMEMORATIVE WALK

Middle Harbour Creek

Giles Tabuteau talking to the Group

Where the waters meet at Bungaroo

Flat land near where Arthur Phillip’s party camped

Photos courtesy of Chapter member, J. Blair, one of the adventurers


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BOOK REVIEW - OF ANGELS AND EAGLES- LF McDERMOTT

Those of us whose ancestors lived on Norfolk Island during the years of the first settlement, 1788-1814, are probably ac-quainted with the well-documented histories of the period. As we have delved into these with their concentration of events largely related to policy and administration we have usually had to try to imagine how our First Fleeters and their families lived from day to day.

Of Angels and Eagles, Book 1 of the Garth Trilogy, the newly published book by Lyn McDermott, gives us excellent insight into the lives and times of the ordinary settlers, seen through the eyes of two families, the Belletts and the Garths.

The author clearly states in her end note, ’while the Garth Trilogy is based on real events and people, it is nonetheless a work of fiction. I was drawn to writing the story of Edward Garth, Susannah Gough, Jacob Bel-lett and Ann Harper as a way of finding an-swers to the many questions that arose from my discovery of being a great great great great granddaughter of these four souls. In doing so I have travelled thousands of miles with my maternal aunt, retracing the steps of my ancestors and researching their history. In the process of finding an-swers the Garth Trilogy was written’.

Unlike several other novels of pre-1788 England which go into sordid detail of the low lives of crime-ridden London and other cities, this account is drawn with gentler brush strokes. The crimes that sent the four main characters across the world are mainly portrayed through back story, and the author is to be commended for the clever way the earlier lives have been

brought to light and influence the way our characters think and act.

The four souls of the tale, Edward the farm boy, Susannah the prostitute, Jacob the silk weaver and Ann the urchin, generally tell their own stories in the course of the narrative. This tech-nique is masterfully done and sustains the reader throughout. We read on, marvelling at the way each of them build on their background to cope with everyday difficulties of pioneer life. As

farmers, boat builders and parents they become outstanding members and leaders of the Norfolk Island community.

There is no doubt, as you read, that Susannah, ’spirited and optimistic’ is the main protagonist, and that it is her inspira-tion that drives the families and allows them to overcome any problems that come their way. Susannah wants them to succeed, and so do we.

By the end of the book we have been in-troduced to the coming of age of some of the next generation, and already we have been given inklings as to how their lives will intertwine as the move is made to Van Die-men’s land at the end of 1807.

Your reviewer can hardly wait to know more, and is keenly looking forward to Book 2 of the Garth Trilogy.

Congratulations, Lyn, on your writing. I can’t imagine any descendants of these two families, or those linked to them through marriage as am I, being offended by the creativity you have woven into the fascinating and resilient lives of these your forebears.

A great read, thoroughly recommended. WJF

Angela Trend, Lyndhurst Parish Council, writes: Lyndhurst and the New Forest were honoured to have been

part of the celebrations in 2014 marking the bicentenary of Ar-thur Phillip’s death. Paul and I were delighted to visit First Fleet House with Denis Smith last November and appreciate the pride Australia takes in its First Fleeters.

Lyndhurst Parish Council said at the time that they wished to honour Arthur Phillip’s achievements with a permanent memo-rial in Lyndhurst recognising his New Forest links. There are al-ready significant memorials to Phillip in London, where he was born and educated, Portsmouth, with the First Fleet connec-tions, and Bathampton and Bath where he died. Several of these were funded, wholly or in part, with help from Australia. There is nothing here in Lyndhurst to acknowledge the real knowledge and skills Phillip developed here to help him to achieve his suc-cess in establishing the new agricultural colony and as First Gov-ernor of what became New South Wales.

Phillip’s life in Lyndhurst as both gentleman farmer and Over-seer of the Poor, appointed by the local Church, enabled him to provide the essential tools from England to build shelter and produce the food necessary to survive. The need of a clear sys-tem of law and order and the motivation for hard work to be rewarded with land, self-sufficiency and freedom were learned here in Lyndhurst.

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a substantial grant for the 2014 events in Lyndhurst and the New Forest and agreed that

any remaining money would go towards such a permanent me-morial. There is now an HLF deadline of 31st January 2017. We are determined that the memorial should be worthy of Arthur Phillip. A prominent site opposite the New Forest Centre has been set aside for the memorial.

It has now been decided that the memorial should take the form of a bench in seasoned oak 4m long x 60cm wide x 75mm thick set on a brick plinth. The plinth will incorporate a small panel of bricks retrieved from Vernalls, Phillip’s former home in Lyndhurst. Along the edge of the oak seat will be inscribed the words:

Admiral Arthur Phillip RN (1738-1814) Commander of the First Fleet, First Governor of New South Wales and Founder of modern Australia.

The C.17th bricks in the panel came from the remains of Vernalls, Phillip’s home in Lyndhurst.

The cost is about £7,000 and we now need to supplement the remaining HLF grant with additional funding of about £4,500. Lyndhurst Parish Council made a significant contribution in 2014 but further funding is not available. We therefore invite all who regard Arthur Phillip as worthy of wider recognition in Lyndhurst and the New Forest to consider making a small (or preferably, large!) donation. We hope you will be able to support this initia-tive in Lyndhurst.

Make cheques out to Fellowship of First Fleeters. Post to Denis Smith at First Fleet House in an envelope marked LYNDHURST MEMORIAL. Closing date is 18 November 2016. Thank You.

NEW ARTHUR PHILLIP MEMORIAL PLANNED FOR LYNDHURST


10

NAME PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER

ALBURY/WODONGA DISTRICT Paul Gooding #8089 Gaye Merkel #8095, Rowan Chalmers-Borella #8034

Mary Chalmers-Borella #8034.1

Merle Kelly F131

ARTHUR PHILLIP Gillian Doyle #3152 John Tainsh #6992.1 Jane Ann Tainsh #6992 James Kemsley #7895

CANBERRA Geoff Cameron #2000 Gina Pinkas #6743 Brian Mattick #6077 Toni Pike #6981

CENTRAL COAST Ken Morley #8070 Coraleen Barton-Bishop #7898 Jon Fearon #7141 Carmol Morley #8070.1

DERWENT Judith Wood #7854 Dianne Snowden #2862 Marilla Lowe #F126 Greg Bell #8277

EASTERN FARMS Glenda Dingwall #6969 Judith Newell #7599 Jennifer Follers #7889 Rob Shipton #7981

HAWKESBURY NEPEAN Sharon Lamb #1318 Pamela Hempel #6740 William Hempel #6740.1 Theresa Ewan #8486

HUNTER VALLEY Jane van Woerkom #8251 Barbara Gow #8275 Kerry Neinert #8578 Helen Pacey #5322

LACHLAN MACQUARIE Phil Foster #7459 Judy Dwyer #7068 Amanda Foster #7459.1

MID NORTH COAST Malcolm Tompson #7787 Heather Bath #8480 Helen Hanson #8464

MORETON Julie Webb #7007 Don Cornford #5129.1 Gloria Wallace #7701 Barry Lack #8001

NORTH COAST Margaret Bass #7374 Pat Davis #7397.1 Christine Ingram #7807 Pat Robertson #6948.1

NORTHERN RIVERS Richmond Manyweathers #92 Betty Harriman #7398 Margaret Soward #7228 Stan Jenkins #7352

NORTH WEST Barbara Hodgson #7424 Harold McLean #7439, Jennifer Porter #7416

Diana Harband #7414 Colin Worrad #F42

SOUTH COAST Kerrie Anne Christian #4858 Fay McGregor #7161 Kevin McGregor #7161.1 Heather Paul #7995.1

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS Pamela Cormick #1894 Rod Davis #6139 Wendy Selman #6558 John Kirkby #7137

SWAN RIVER Alex Aitken #7766.1 Julie Aitken #7766 Toni Mahony #5525 Lynton Symington #7947

CHAPTER OFFICE BEARERS 2016-2017

(Advertisement)

It can be an emotional journey ‘standing in the shoes’ of ances-tors, seeing where they lived and getting to know what their lives were like. Perhaps the highlight for so many descendants who have previously travelled to Norfolk Island for annual First Fleet Celebrations is having the opportunity to do just that, and very often on the actual piece of land where their ancestors lived. In addition, as the physical disturbance to the land over the past 220 plus years has been so minimal on Norfolk Island, you can pretty accurately view exactly what they viewed. A con-nection like no other with who you are and where you have come from is the end result.

Norfolk Island’s First Fleet story is so important and especially celebrated during annual First Fleet Celebrations, where the centre-piece is a re-enactment of the 6th March 1788 landing of the small group of First Fleeters sent to establish the Settle-ment. Not only is it an unbelievably picturesque event on the turquoise waters of Emily Bay in World Heritage listed Kingston, it is also a poignant remembrance of those hardy convicts, ma-rines and free-settlers sent to settle the island.

One of the best aspects to visiting Norfolk Island for this week is the opportunity to meet with fellow descendent families and people passionate about this period of Australian history. The sharing of family stories is an added bonus to special Norfolk Island Museum First Settlement, HMS Sirius collection and How

to Research Your Family History presentations, and an exclusive celebratory First Fleeters lunch.

7 day twin share Holiday Packages start at $999pp ex Brisbane and $1049pp ex Sydney, including airfare, accommodation, car hire and lots more. For full inclusions and details contact Maria at the Norfolk Island Travel Centre on freecall 1800 1400 66 or email [email protected]

The 2017 First Fleet celebrations on Norfolk Island will be a true celebration of the people, the Flagship and early survival. We would love you to join us for this fascinating week.

GOOD REASONS TO VISIT NORFOLK ISLAND IN MARCH 2017

Image: courtesy Ian Rolfe - Southern Lightscapes

FREDERICK MEREDITH DESCENDANTS’ GROUP TO GATHER AT MILLERS POINT

The annual FMDG get-together will be held on Saturday 22 October 2016. The meet-ing will begin at 11 am after morning tea at 10:30 . The venue this year is the Harry Jensen Community Centre, 17 Argyle Street, Millers Point, Sydney. Cost: $5 per person, $10 per family. BYO lunch. Suggested post meeting activities: Susannah Place Museum, The Rocks Tour and markets , Garrison Church, Barangaroo Reserve. Bookings: PO Box 3627, West Kempsey. or [email protected]


11

ALBURY-WODONGA DISTRICT – Both sides of the Murray River. Venue: Albury Library/Museum, Kiewa St. Albury, monthly meetings, third Saturday at 10am for 10.15 Next Meetings: 15 October: TS, TBA, Marcia Birnie, Meet My Ancestor. Next Event: TBA. Contact: Mary Chalmers-Borella 6025 3283

ARTHUR PHILLIP – Milsons Point to Brooklyn and across to all northern beaches. Venue: Meeting Room, Old Gordon Public School. 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon – monthly meetings, third Friday at 10.30 . Next Meetings: 21 October: Marie Palmer, Rediscovering our Harbour Gems; 18 November: Rosemary Roberts, Colony Clothing 1788-1820; 16 December Meeting and Christmas Party. Next Events: 7-10 November Group Tour of South Coast. Contact: Jane Ann Tainsh 94885453

CANBERRA – ACT, Queanbeyan and surrounds. Venue: Various locations in Canberra. Next Meeting and Next Event: to be held in December. Contact: Geoff Cameron 62514095

CENTRAL COAST – Gosford, Tuggerah Lake, Wyong, Budgewoi and surrounds. Venue: Wyong RSL Club, – meet monthly, second Saturday at 10am for 10.30. Next Meetings: 8 October: Amanda Ianna, NSW BMD; 12 November: Jan Cooper, Land Grants in Far Western NSW. Next Event: in October: Historic Tour of Kariong Parklands; 10 December: Christmas Lunch. Contact: Jon Fearon 43116254

DERWENT - Southern Tasmania Venue: Bi-monthly, 11am, first Saturday at Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Sandy Bay. Next Meetings: 1 October: Diane Snowden, Children of Convicts. Next Event: Contact: Marilla Lowe 0362437726

EASTERN FARMS – Ryde, Eastwood, Parramatta, Kings Langley, Pennant Hills and surrounds. Venue: The Hall at Brush Farm House, 19 Lawson St. Eastwood –monthly meetings, first Saturday from 10am Next Meetings: 1 October: Dick Whitaker, Sydney in Focus, Kerry and Kings 19th century photographs; 5 November: Mark Dunn, The Rise and Fall and Rise of Sydney’s First Government House. Contact: Jennifer Follers 97991161

HAWKESBURY-NEPEAN --Western Sydney, Penrith to Windsor, Blue Mountains. Venue: Mainly Tebbutt Room, Public Library, 300 George St, Windsor , but occasionally in Penrith and elsewhere-- monthly, second Saturday, 11 am. Next Meeting: 8 October (at Penrith Library): Ray Keating, Before They Sailed; 12 November (at Windsor): Rebecca Turnbull, First Fleet artifacts at Hawkesbury Museum. Next Event: Contact: William Hempel 47303527

HUNTER VALLEY – Hunter Region, Newcastle and surrounds. Venue: Adamstown Senior Citizens’ Hall, 153A Brunker Road, Adamstown – bi-monthly meetings, usually third Monday from 10am — 12.30pm. Next Meetings: 17 October: Kerry Neinert, Mary Parker and John Small; 12 December: Christmas Luncheon (No speaker) Next Event: Contact: Kerry Neinert 49615083

LACHLAN MACQUARIE – Orange, Bathurst, Parkes, Dubbo, White Rock, Cowra, Kelso. Venue: Usually Kinross-Wolaroi Library, Orange; quarterly. Next Meeting: Contact Judy Dwyer 63658234 or 0428 173213 or [email protected]

MID NORTH COAST -- Taree and Surrounds, Bulahdelah to Kempsey. Venue: Presbyterian Church, 76 Albert Street, Taree, Bi-monthly on 4th Tuesday at 2pm.. Next Meeting: 22 November: Short meeting followed by Manning River Cruise and Christmas Party. Next Events: 25 October Guided Tour of Lake Innes Ruins and St Thomas Church Port Macquarie; Contact: Heather Bath 0458 572 644

MORETON – South East Queensland. Venue: St. Augustine’s Anglican Church Hall, Hamilton – bi-monthly meetings, at 10 am on an available 2nd Saturday. Next Meetings: 8 October: Marilyn England, Convicts - Victims or Vicious? 10 December: Meeting and Christmas Lunch Next Events: 16 October: With Northern Rivers Chapter at Tweed Heads Bowling Club. Don Cornford, Convicts- Some of the Good Guys, and Richmond Manyweathers, Malaria, Scourge of Returnees. Lunch to follow. Contact: Gloria Wallace 07 3371 2551

NORTH COAST – Boambee, Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo to Maclean Venue: Either at Mylestom Hall or at members’ homes, Bi-monthly , usually first Sunday at 10.30am. Next Meeting: 2 October: at Davises, Lawrence History. Next Event: 3 December: 11:50 am, Christmas Party at Golden Dog Hotel, Glenreagh. Contact: Robyn Condliffe 66533615

NORTHERN RIVERS – Lismore and surrounds. Venue: Various locations - bi-monthly meetings, fourth Sunday at 11.30am; Next Meeting: Next Event: 16 October: With Moreton Chapter at Tweed Heads Bowling Club. Don Cornford, Convicts- Some of the Good Guys, and Richmond Manyweathers, Malaria, Scourge of Returnees. Lunch to follow. Contact: Margaret Soward 66863597

NORTH WEST – Tamworth and surrounds. Venue: Various locations – bi-monthly meetings, usually first Saturday at 1.30pm Next Meeting: 3 December: Meeting at Harold and Janet McLeans at Wallabadah, followed by Christmas lunch. Next Event: 1 October: Bus tour to Scone and visit Scone FHS. (details from Pat Worrad, 6767 0274) Contact: Diana Harband 67652122

SOUTH COAST – Engadine to Burrill Lake. Venue: Laurel Room, Ribbonwood Centre, 93-109 Princes Highway, Dapto – monthly except. Jan, May and Dec. – first Tuesday at 10am - 1pm. Next Meetings: 4 October: Carol Preston, Fiction Writing Family History; 1 November: Judy Bull, Eureka Stockade. Next Event: 8 November: Combined three-chapters lunch at Kiama Leagues Club at 12:30: 3 December Christmas Luncheon, Dapto Leagues Club. Contact: Kevin McGregor 42713762

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS – Mittagong, Moss Vale and surrounds.

Venue: Mittagong Community Centre – bi-monthly – second Wednesday at 10.30am $5 Admission. Next Meetings: ; 12 October: Robert Griffin, George Alan Mansfield, 19th Century Architect. Next Event: 14 December: Christmas Lunch at Mittagong RSL, Speaker Linda Emery, Historian archivist and researcher for “Who do you think you are?”. Contact: Wendy Selman 48624849

SWAN RIVER – Perth, Fremantle and surrounds.

Venue: 256 Stirling St Perth, quarterly, third Saturday, at 2pm. Next Meeting: 19 November Meeting, Speaker TBA, followed by wine and cheese. Next Event: Contact: Toni Mahony 0892717630

Karys Fearon, Chapter Liaison Officer

Our Seventeen Chapters in Action

EDITOR’S NOTE: Closing date for this page for the next issue is 21 November 2016


12

AT THE HELM

DEATHS WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS Ordinary and Pensioner Members

HENRY KABLE/SUSANNAH HOLMES

#8649 Coral Joyce Galloway

#8650 Scott Andrew Boyd Galloway

JOHN NICHOLS

#8654 Faye Ellen Smith

#8658 Peter Markey

#8662 Lynette June Haynes

JAMES McMANUS/JANE POOLE

#8655 Karen Kristine Walls

#8656 Thomas Michael Toohey

WILLIAM NASH/MARIA HAYNES

#8657 Leanne Maree Rickers

JOSEPH WRIGHT

#8661 Lloyd Leslie Parker-Manderson

#8677 David John Franks

ANN FORBES/MARGARET DARNELL/OWEN CAVANAUGH

#8664 Robyn Elizabeth Filby

#8655 Kenneth James Chapman

#8667 Judith Anne Gunter

LYDIA MUNRO/ANDREW GOODWIN

#8666 Robert William Clark

JOSEPH HATTON/ANN COLPITTS

#8668 Dorothy Joy Yeomans

#8669 Michelle Woolgar

#8670 Paul William Yeomans

#8671 Jennifer Ann Lewis

#8672 Marie Rita Calwell

#8673 Suzanne Louise Smith

Ordinary and Pensioner Members continued ELIZABETH THOMAS #8674 John Charles Goard ANTHONY ROPE/ELIZABETH PULLEY #8675 Betty Helen Lee WILLIAM TUNKS #8676 Rae Colleen Moore NATHANIEL LUCAS/OLIVIA GASCOIGNE #8678 Loan Lorraine Lind Junior Members HENRY KABLE/SUSANNAH HOLMES #8651 Caitlin Rose Galloway #8652 Matthew James Galloway JAMES BRADLEY/JAMES McMANUS/JANE POOLE #8663 Ewan Robert Roddan WILLIAM BAKER/SUSANNAH HUFFNELL #8659 Sophie Rose Barry Autard #8660 Jake Serge Barry Autard Student Members THOMAS CHIPP/JANE LANGLEY #8653 Rhianna Elise Payne Associate Members #8650.1 Pauline Galloway #8674.1 Suellen Fay Goard Friends #Friend170 Ruth Adams #Friend171 Dianne Gander #Friend172 Janice E Cooper #Friend173 Jennifer Lincoln #Friend174 Janice Mary Davies #Friend175 Jill Antill-Rose

THOMAS ARNDELL/WILLIAM DRING/ANN FORBES #5979 Alma Mary Simpson, of Ropes Crossing, New South Wales, died on 09.08.2016. She had been a keen member of the Fellowship for over 25 years and a founding member of Hawkesbury-Nepean Chapter. ASSOCIATE MEMBER #6620.1 Kevin D McNaughton, of Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, died on 22.06.2016. He had been a member for nearly 19 years JAMES BLOODWORTH/SARAH BELLAMY #7321 Neville M Brown, of Gwynneville, New South Wales, died on 03.09.2016. Neville has been a mem-ber of South Coast Chapter for just on ten years.

MESSAGE BOARD

The Fellowship can only function properly if there are enough directors in office to keep the ship afloat. Please consider our personnel shortage and nominate for 2016-2017. Forms available at FF House or at the AGM.

At the end of July the President welcomed members who live in the southern suburbs of Sydney to share in a Winter Lunch at First Fleet House. Four keen members joined him for pumpkin soup and to chat about ances-tors known and unknown.

Those of us who belong to chapters know how impor-tant are the guest speakers who bring us such wonderful information and insights at our meetings. Programme officers have been delighted to learn of the handsome gift pens, crafted in Hobart and distributed by Derwent chapter, that can be presented to our speakers. Contact your chapter secretary for more details as the inscribed pens are only available via chapter orders,

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS The Editor will be pleased to have your items and stories for Founders 47/6 by Monday 14

November preferably as emailed attachments. Send pictures separately.

We often receive interesting news of chapter events through the year but are just as keen to hear from individual members out there with a

story to tell.

Do remember also the First Fleeters story writ-ing challenge given by Hunter Valley Chapter

for 2016

So far this year they have submitted seven sto-ries, Eastern Farms one, and South Coast one.

VALUED DONATIONS RECEIVED Your generous donations are used for essential mainte-nance and improvements at First Fleet House, a building now approaching its centenary. Thank you all. Baxter A J, Northern Rivers Chapter, Eaton E M, Hempel P D, Huntley A, Martin J M, Mortimer D J, Tassone J S, Williams B L, Yeomans D J.

GOODWIN-MUNRO MUSTER This is being planned for all descendants of Andrew Goodwin

and Lydia Munro and will be held at Wrest Point, Hobart from 10-13 March 2017. It will include research talks, a dinner and a bus trip. Details from #8350 Tony Williams, Box 2389 Carling-ford Court NSW 2118, or [email protected]

The ceremonies for most of the Fellowship’s plaques that have been dedicated over the years have been attended by descendants of the First Fleeter buried in the grave yard where the dedication takes place.

On Sunday morning, 6 November at St Stephen’s Church at Newtown, Sydney, starting at 11 am, the plaque honouring FF

Edward Smith/Beckford will be dedicated. There are no known descendants in Australia of the convict Beckford, who died in 1851, aged 94, at Balmain.

Fellowship members are warmly invited to join the Di-rectors for the ceremony and then follow it with a guided tour of the historic church and the amazing monuments of Camperdown Cemetery.

We would love to have you join us on the day. Bring along your $10 to take the tour.

NEWTOWN PLAQUE DEDICATION

St Stephens Newtown

of descendants is never to die two fleets - 1788 & 1988

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